27th Jun 2019
We are thrilled to announce we have been nominated for ‘Best New Venue’ at the UK Wedding Awards. Hosted and organised by leading bridal brands Hitched and You & Your Wedding, the awards recognize the very best of the UK wedding industry. Having only opened to the public in April 2018, this is a real honour for us.
We join 11 other nominees from across the country, so it really is an honour to be included. Who wins, however, is up to you, so please vote for us here. Voting is now open and closes on Sunday 17th February.
It’s been such a busy time since we opened as a wedding venue less than a year ago. From a spectacular launch to hosting a number of exclusive and bespoke weddings, the AGM for Historic Houses and being the set for Abi Alton’s show reel. We’ve been on TV (twice!), hosted a wonderful wedding fair and a Christmas fair, met some inspiring industry partners and this is such a great way to start 2019.
In case you are yet to visit, Birdsall House sits in its own private valley on the edge of the Wolds. Built in 1540 it has remained home to the Willoughby family ever since. The Honourable James and Lady Cara Willoughby and their three children opened their home for events to ensure the longevity of the spectacular building. They want to allow more people to make use of the ballroom, Oval Room, other reception rooms and grounds. You can find out more about our history here.
Having just had our ceremony license extended to include the grand front porch and temple that overlooks the lake we hope this latest news will attract even more couples to the historic home as well as raising the profile of the region in general. The main wing of the house is available for exclusive use for weddings and events. This includes a ballroom, dining room and a state room named the Oval Room. The width of the Oval Room was built to equal the spectacular jump of Henry Willoughby’s horse in 1790. The Oval Room includes a number of items of historical importance, including an unbroken line of family portraits dating from 1588.
Six bedrooms have also undergone complete renovation, bringing them into the 21stcentury while complementing the home’s history. This includes a bridal suite with double bath and stunning views over the Wolds and the home’s own lake.
Alex Vyse, who was one of the first brides to get married at Birdsall House said:
“We found Birdsall House on Instagram, we’d just got engaged and I searched the hashtag #yorkshireweddings. It was the first of 9 venues we visited in one weekend, and none of the others came close. Danny, my husband, has a Masters in Archaeology. So, the monastery ruins that sit on Birdsall’s front lawn really resonated with us. Birdsall has that ‘wow’ factor we were looking for without feeling pretentious.”
Lady Cara Willoughby said: “There are many people who work tirelessly hard here at Birdsall and make it the special place it is so I am thrilled we have been nominated for such a prestigious award. I want to thank everyone who has helped Birdsall House grow since opening in April.”
If you’d like to talk about planning your wedding with us, please get in touch.
